2026 -- H 8515

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LC006029

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING MAY 3-9, 2026, TO BE "COMPOSTING AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale,
McGaw, Carson, Boylan, Fogarty, Ajello, and Fellela

     Date Introduced: May 05, 2026

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Each year, Composting Awareness Week is celebrated nationwide during

the first full week of May with the goal of raising public awareness of the environmental,

economic, and societal benefits of composting; and

     WHEREAS, Compost is a mixture of organic materials such as yard trimmings,

vegetable and fruit peels and scraps, other food waste, flowers, eggshells, paper products,

nutshells, sawdust, wood chips, biosolids, manure, hay shavings, and leaves. These materials are

rich in moisture and nutrients, and when added to the soil in gardens, farms, and landscapes, they

enhance plant growth, soil structure and overall ecosystem health; and

     WHEREAS, By retaining and transferring moisture through the soil to plants,

composting minimizes the need for irrigation, reduces water usage by up to 30 percent, conserves

water during droughts, and prevents flooding by retaining water that would otherwise enter drains

and sewers; and

     WHEREAS, Rich in both nutrients and beneficial organisms, compost supports plant

health and growth, soil biodiversity, as well as organisms such as worms, centipedes, spiders,

beetles, and fungal mycelium. This minimizes the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides,

thereby reducing soil and water pollution; and

     WHEREAS, Composting reduces waste by reusing and recycling organic materials,

which make up approximately 30 percent of all materials sent to landfills, and can help

communities that implement composting programs to efficiently divert waste from landfills and

promote more sustainable practices; and

     WHEREAS, The beneficial organisms and microbes in compost also sequester and retain

carbon in the soil, helping to prevent carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases, from

being released into the atmosphere in large amounts due to decomposing waste in landfills; and

     WHEREAS, Incorporating compost into certain public works projects, such as the

construction and improvement of parks, trails, highways, and green spaces, can lead to large-scale

reductions in pollution, help to prevent climate change, and lead to the creation of green jobs;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

proclaims May 3-9, 2026 to be "Composting Awareness Week" and respectfully urges the

Governor and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to observe the week

with appropriate activities and programs. We, moreover, encourage all Rhode Islanders to start

composting and help build a healthier, more sustainable environment for all; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor of the

State of Rhode Island, and Terrence Gray, Director of the Rhode Island Department of

Environmental Management.

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LC006029

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